Luminous display unit



July 18, 1950 G. P. R. CLARK LUMINOUS DISPLAY UNIT Filed 0011. 15, 1945 la f+a ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1950 l UNlTE'DsTATEs PATENT OFFICE LUlI/[INOUS DISPLAY UNIT George P.. R. Clark, Oakland, Calif.

Application October 15, 1945, Serial No. 622,419

Q 4 Claims. 1

The invention relates 'to a unit providing a luminescent area for use in indicating the location of an article which must be located in the dark.

An object of the invention is to provide a unit of the character described which is particularly adapted for use with an electric switch.

Another object is to provide a unit of the character described including replaceable decorative elements.

A further object is to provide an assembly which may be vended and installed as a unit.

The invention possessesl other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth orbe apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment thereof, and in the accompanying drawings, in which, v

Figure 1 is a front face View of a unit embodying the features of the present invention associated with a double snap switch of the iiush type installed on a wall.

Figure 2 is a section at the line 2-2 in Figure l.

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged sections of the unit only taken at the lines 3-3 and Il'-4 respectively of Figure 1.

Figure shows in perspective, the elements of the unit in transversely separated relation to each other and to a wall-mounted switch with which the assembled unit is to be used.

A unit 'l embodying the features of present invention is particularly shown in cooperative association with a double snap switch assembly 8 mounted in a usual outlet box 9 iixedly disposed in `an opening of a wall II and having switch-operating levers I2 extending beyond the plane of a wall face. The unit I generally comprises an escutcheon plate providing openings through which the switch levers I2 extend for their manipulation to close or open the switch as required. The switches are mounted on usual strap members I2' Xed across the front of the outlet boX l9. When the switches of the assembly 8 are used to control electric lights which are to illuminate the place where the switch assembly is located, the luminescent design provided by the unit 'I is utilized as a guide to the switch location when the lights are out.

The unit 'I essentially comprises a transparent pane member I3 of glass or other plastic which is hollowed out from the back to receive and retain a backing plate I4 and a decorative or picture element I5 imprisoned between the pane and backing lplate. The wall-engaging rim I6 of the pane I3 is preferably arranged for line in the coated area is off-set transversely rearwardly for a distance which is preferably the same as the thickness of the decorative element I5 which comprises a sheet of material providing the decorative features on its front face, the element I5 being trimmed to fit the recess in the backing plate. As particularly illustrated, the decorations of the element I5 comprise a picture of an Army officer in a central area, with areas of blue and red at opposite sides thereof, whereby to provide a patriotic motif for the decorations.

Rearwardly of the rim portion II of the backing plate III, the pane rim is provided with a series of sockets I9 for receiving wedge members 2| which comprise a means to firmly and removably secure the backing plate in its position within the pane cavity; since the wedges 2| are laterally opposite the rearwardly off-set portion of the backing plate I4, they extend no further toward a mounting wall than does the back plate. Registering openings 23 and 24 and 25 are provided respectively through the pane I3 and decorative element I5 and backing plate I4 for the operative extension of the switch levers I3 therethrough. Transverse openings are. provided through the unit at appropriate points thereof for receiving screws 22 which threadedly engage the switch-supporting straps I2 for fixing the unit to and against the wall.

In view of the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided a decorative unit for use at a light switch which may be assembled and sold and installed as a unit, either originally or as a replacementfor conventional escutcheon plates. The feature of the present structure may, of course, be applied to the escutcheon plates of door locks and other mechanisms for aiding in a finding thereof in the dark. Aside from the mechanism-locating feature, the general assembly provides an attractive picture or display unit per se, and may be so used, the openings otherwise provided for permitting access to a mechanism being then omitted.

From the foregoing description taken in con-A nection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and operation of the present device will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains. While I have described the features and principles of operation of an assembly which I now consider to comprise a preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and that such changesfmay be made, Whendesired, as 'fall Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a meohanisminou'nte'd in a wall and having an actuating member eX- tending transversely from the wallgan escithen t plate member comprising a transparent pane for mounting on the wall and providing an opening for the operative extension of the actuating'ine'mber therethrough, said plate member being uniformlyf'recessed forwardly 'from its `rearface a backing -plate disposed entirely in the member rec'ess 'Pand Vhaving an 1 interior portion rearwardly 'offset from its 'rim portion to 'provide 'a recess behind the front wall'of the rstrece'ss for receiving 'a-dis'pla'y card or the like, means operative Within the confines Yof the pane recess'releas'ably securing the backing plate in therirst'recessand 'a'dis'play card in the recess, vsaid backingplate and display 'card beingprovided with openings 'in registration with the opening in the escutcheon plate land receiving the mechanism-actuating member therethrough, and the front face of the rim portion "of the 'backing plate being coated 'with'a luminescent material for framing' the actu'- ating member in the dark.

`2. `In combination with a mechanism vmounted. inra k'wallspace and havingianfactuating member extending transversely 'fromfthefwalL anescutcheonme'mber'compris'ing'a transparent pane `for g mounting on the wall and providing an opening for the operative extension of the actuatingfmember therethrough, ls'ai'des'cutcheon member'being recessed'forwardly from itsrear fface, a backing plate disposed' and secured withinthefcominesof the escutcheonmember recess andhaving an interior portion rrearwardlyv oiset from its rim-porvrnerrlber extending transversely therefrom and frm the "wall, an escu'tcheon Vplate unit for mounting on the wall and provided with a trans- "verse opening therethrough for the operating extension fof lthe actuating member therethrough, said unit comprising a front plate member having -Aa transparent pane portion and being recessed forwardly fromlitsrear face behind said pane, a

backing plate member disposed within the confinesf the recess of the front pane plate member behind said pane portion thereof and being interiorly 're'cessed f rearwardly yfrom 2a A-lplan'ar ffront rimpcrtion opposite th'epane"and'extendingfabout the mechanismeactuating'iriember, andan varticle for display disposed within the recess of the backin'gimember. f

'4. `lfifs'tructure-in accordance with claim A3 `having the outer face of'therimportion of the"back ing plate .provided with'afluminescent coatingl for viewing 'through the ifpane 'and the article within the recess of the backing plate non-luminescent.

-GEORGrliifP.- R. CLARK.

REFERENCES C'I'TED The 'following references fare if 'i record vfin 'the file of this patent: f

:UNITED kSTATES V'Pirriiuirs 

